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The jump in fruit and vegetable prices isn't likely to spur major expansion of Alberta vegetable crops, but growers do expect a boost from increasing demand for produce raised close to home.

Drought in parts of the U.S. and the high value of the greenback helped push the price of fresh vegetables in the province 18.4-per-cent higher in January compared to January 2015, while the cost of fresh fruit was up 12 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.

That led to such phenomena as $7 cauliflower in Edmonton stores, although prices have since eased back.

Eric Doef, a partner in Doef's Greenhouses near Lacombe, says they grow peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant and cucumbers in 4.5 hectares of greenhouses, so the price of cauliflower and other field vegetables doesn't affect them.

But he's running into more demand from health- and quality-conscious consumers for items cultivated nearby.

"If people want to eat healthy, they're looking at more local and fresh options. Guys like us can provide that. We're seeing that trend year-over-year no matter what the price is or the American dollar is doing," he says.

"Price is obviously a feature for a lot of shoppers, but a lot of times our farmer's market prices are basically cheaper than it is in a lot of grocery store chains."

Ed Giorgi, general manager of Sunfresh Farms, says exchange rates make a difference to the cost of the fruit and vegetables they import and distribute from the company's Edmonton warehouse, once they've used up the stored Alberta products.

However, farmers can't take advantage of possibly short-lived price fluctuations by switching to a new crop they don't already grow because this requires specialized equipment and proper land preparation, he says.

Commercial production of seven major Alberta vegetables — beans, cabbage, carrots, corn, cucumbers, dry onions and green peas — was worth $25.5 million in 2014, up from $15.9 million the year before and $10.1 million in 2012, data from Alberta Agriculture shows.

Her farm near Rolling Hills, approximately 20 kilometres south of Brooks, includes about one-quarter of a hectare of garlic, lettuce, Swiss chard, beans and cucumbers, all of which she sells at the Medicine Hat farmers' market.

She doesn't think what she sees as a temporary spike in import prices will lead to much growth in her 100-member association, which represents people selling from their farms.

"Farming is such a risky business, especially vegetables. They're so sensitive to so many things — bugs, rain, hail," Kappler says.

"Society wants local produce, and that is going to do more for bringing people into this industry than the prices."

As Advertised in the Edmonton SUN

The jump in fruit and vegetable prices isn't likely to spur major expansion of Alberta vegetable crops, but growers do expect a boost from increasing demand for produce raised close to home.

Drought in parts of the U.S. and the high value of the greenback helped push the price of fresh vegetables in the province 18.4-per-cent higher in January compared to January 2015, while the cost of fresh fruit was up 12 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.